Журнальные статьи

Time and spatial damping of transverse magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) kink oscillations is a source of information on the cross-field variation of the plasma density in coronal waveguides. Aims. We show that a probabilistic approach to the problem of determining the density structuring from the observed damping of transverse oscillations enables us to obtain information on the two parameters that characterise the cross-field density profile. Methods. The inference is performed by computing the marginal posterior distributions for density contrast and transverse inhomogeneity length-scale using Bayesian analysis and damping ratios for transverse oscillations under the assumption that damping is produced by resonant absorption. Results. The obtained distributions show that, for damping times of a few oscillatory periods, low density-contrasts and short inhomogeneity length scales are more plausible to explain observations. Conclusions. This means that valuable information on the cross-field density profile can be obtained even if the inversion problem, with two unknowns and one observable, is a mathematically ill-posed problem.

In this paper, we revisit a correlation between the amplitude of a solar cycle, R-m, and the max-max solar cycle length two solar cycles before, Pmax-2, which was proposed by Du to be used as a tool for solar cycle forecasting. We vary the time interval used in the statistical analysis and also use different long-term series of sunspot numbers: International sunspot number and Group sunspot number. We show that the claimed correlation appears unstable as it depends on the time interval and the selected data series. This suggests that the relationship between the two parameters is not stationary and more complex than previously thought and, therefore, this relationship should not be used to predict solar activity.

Abreu et al. (2012, A&A. 548, A88) have recently compared the periodicities in a C-14 - Be-10 proxy record of solar variability during the Holocene and found a strong similarity with the periodicities predicted on the basis of a model of the time-dependent torque exerted by the planets on the sun's tachocline. If verified, this effect would represent a dramatic advance not only in the basic understanding of the Sun's variable activity, but also in the potential influence of this variability on the Earth's climate. Cameron and Schussler (2013, A&A. 557, A83) have seriously criticized the statistical treatment used by Abreu et al. to test the significance of the coincidences between the periodicities of their model with the Holocene proxy record. Aims. If the Abreu et al. hypothesis is correct, it should be possible to find the same periodicities in the records of cosmogenic nuclides at earlier times. Methods. We present here a high-resolution record of 10Be in the EPICA Dome C (EDC) ice core from Antarctica during the Marine Interglacial Stage 9.3 (MIS 9.3), 325-336 kyr ago, and investigate its spectral properties. Results. We find very limited similarity with the periodicities seen in the proxy record of solar variability during the Holocene, or with that of the model of Abreu et al. Conclusions. We find no support for the hypothesis of a planetary influence on solar activity, and raise the question of whether the centennial periodicities of solar activity observed during the Holocene are representative of solar activity variability in general.

Aims. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) jets situated in coronal holes are thought to play an important role in supplying heated material to the corona and solar wind. The multi-wavelength capabilities and high signal-to-noise ratio of detectors on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) allow for detailed study of these jets' evolution. We aim to exploit SDO's capabilities to reveal information on the jet dynamics and to obtain estimates for plasma properties associated with the jets. Methods. We studied the dynamics of an EUV jet with SDO at a coronal hole boundary. The details of the jet evolution are discussed and measurements of the jet's parameters, e. g. length, width, life time, and outward speed, are obtained. Furthermore, automated emission measure analysis is exploited to determine estimates for the temperature and density of the jet. A propagating transverse wave supported by the jet spire is also observed. Measurements of the wave properties are exploited for magneto-seismology and are used in conjunction with the emission measure results to estimate the magnetic field strength of the jet. Results. We present a detailed description of the jet's evolution, with new evidence of plasma flows, prior to the jet's initiation, along the loops at the base of the jet and also find further evidence that flows along the jet spire consist of multiple, quasi-periodic small-scale plasma ejection events. In addition, spectroscopic analysis reveal that the jet has temperatures of log 5.89 +/- 0.08 K and electron densities of log 8.75 +/- 0.05 cm(-3). Measured properties of the transverse wave provide evidence that a strong damping of the wave occurs as it propagates along the jet spire with speeds of similar to 110 km s(-1). The magneto-seismological inversion of the wave parameters provides values of B = 1.21 +/- 0.2 G along the jet spire, which is in line with previous estimates for open fields in coronal holes.

High-resolution CTIO 4 m/HYDRA spectroscopy of the super-metal-rich open cluster NGC 6253 ([Fe/H] = +0.43 +/- 0.01) has been used to study the stellar lithium (Li) abundances near the cluster's turnoff. NGC 6253 greatly expands the range of [Fe/H] for clusters that have a Li abundance analysis. This is important for studying the complicated effects of, and potential correlations with, stellar Fe abundance on surface Li abundance. Comparisons to the younger and less-metal-rich Hyades and to the similarly aged but solar-metallicity M67 show that NGC 6253's Li abundances are qualitatively consistent with the prediction, from Standard Stellar Evolution Theory, that higher-metallicity stars have a greater Li depletion. Comparison with M67 provides evidence that the more-metal-rich NGC 6253 had a higher initial Li, which is consistent with expectations from models of Galactic Li production. NGC 6253 is also compared to the intermediate-aged NGC 3680, NGC 752, and IC 4651 open clusters. Comparison of the Li-gap positions in all six clusters shows that (1) the gap's position in T-eff is independent of metallicity, but (2) higher-metallicity clusters have their gaps in higher-mass stars. In addition, the Li gap's position is shown not to evolve with age, which provides an important constraint for the non-standard depletion mechanisms that may create the Li gap.

Trumpler 20 is an old open cluster (OC) located toward the Galactic centre, at about 3 kpc from the Sun and similar to 7 kpc from the Galactic centre. Its position makes this cluster particularly interesting in the framework of the chemical properties of the Galactic disc because very few old OCs reside in the inner part of the disc. For this reason it has been selected as a cluster target of the Gaia-ESO Survey, and spectra of many stars in the main-sequence and red-clump phases are now available. Moreover, although it has been studied by several authors in the past, no consensus on the evolutionary status of Tr 20 has been reached. The heavy contamination of field stars (the line of sight of Tr 20 crosses the Carina spiral arm) complicates a correct interpretation. Another interesting aspect of the cluster is that it shows a broadened main-sequence turn-off and a prominent and extended red-clump, characteristics that are not easily explained by classical evolutionary models. Exploiting both spectroscopic information from the Gaia-ESO Survey (and the ESO archive) and literature photometry, we obtain a detailed and accurate analysis of the properties of the cluster. We make use of the first accurate metallicity measurement ever obtained from several spectra of red clump stars, and of cluster membership determination using radial velocities. According to the evolutionary models adopted, we find that Tr 20 has an age in the range 1.35-1.66 Gyr, an average reddening E(B - V) in the range 0.31-0.35 mag, and a distance modulus (m - M)(0) between 12.64 and 12.72 mag. The spectroscopic metallicity is [Fe/H] = +0.17 dex. We discuss the structural properties of the object and constrain possible hypotheses for its broadened upper main sequence by estimating the effect of differential reddening and its extended red clump.

Rapidly damped transverse oscillations of coronal loop systems are often observed. Aims. We aim to study analytically the resonantly damped oscillations of a system of two not necessarily identical coronal loops and their dependence on the equilibrium parameters, improving on and extending the results for two identical coronal loops. Methods. The linearised magnetohydrodynamic equations for a cold plasma were solved in the long-wavelength limit and for thin boundary layers in bicylindrical coordinates. We investigated the effects of the density contrast between the two loops, the thickness of their inhomogeneous layers, and the separation distance between them. The complex spectrum was also studied. Results. We obtained more general expressions for the linear damping rate of the transverse oscillations in a system of two coronal loops. The results can be reduced to expressions found previously for the special cases of one vanishing loop or two identical loops. The interaction between the loops results in a stronger damping of the high-frequency eigenoscillation in comparison with that of the low-frequency eigenoscillation. By decreasing the distance between loops, the efficiency of resonant damping is reduced.

Metal free-floating test masses aboard the future interferometers devoted to gravitational wave detection in space are charged by galactic and solar cosmic rays with energies > 100 MeV/n. This process represents one of the main sources of noise in the lowest frequency band (< 10(-3) Hz) of these experiments. We study here the charging of the LISA Pathfinder (LISA-PF) gold-platinum test masses due to galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) protons and helium nuclei with the Fluka Monte Carlo toolkit. Projections of the energy spectra of GCRs during the LISA-PF operations in 2015 are considered. This work was carried out on the basis of the solar activity level and solar polarity epoch expected for LISA-PF. The effects of GCR short-term variations are evaluated here for the first time. Classical Forbush decreases, GCR variations induced by the Sun rotation, and fluctuations in the LISA-PF frequency bandwidth are discussed.

Dark matter particles could self-annihilate or decay producing a flux of antimatter particles, gamma-rays or neutrinos which could be observed as an excess over their expected astrophysical backgrounds, opening the possibility of indirectly detecting dark matter. In this paper, we will review the calculation of the expected fluxes of Standard Model particles produced in the annihilation or the decay of dark matter particles, as well as the limits on the dark matter properties which follow from observations.

The (Zeeman-) Doppler imaging studies of solar-type stars very often reveal large high-latitude spots. This also includes F stars that possess relatively shallow convection zones, indicating that the dynamo operating in these stars differs from the solar dynamo. Aims. We aim to determine whether mean-field dynamo models of late-F type dwarf stars can reproduce the surface features recovered in Doppler maps. In particular, we wish to test whether the models can reproduce the high-latitude spots observed on some F dwarfs. Methods. The photometric inversions and the surface temperature maps of AF Lep were obtained using the Occamian-approach inversion technique. Low signal-to-noise spectroscopic data were improved by applying the least-squares deconvolution method. The locations of strong magnetic flux in the stellar tachocline as well as the surface fields obtained from mean-field dynamo solutions were compared with the observed surface temperature maps. Results. The photometric record of AF Lep reveals both long-and short-term variability. However, the current data set is too short for cycle-length estimates. From the photometry, we have determined the rotation period of the star to be 0.9660 +/- 0.0023 days. The surface temperature maps show a dominant, but evolving, high-latitude (around +65 degrees) spot. Detailed study of the photometry reveals that sometimes the spot coverage varies only marginally over a long time, and at other times it varies rapidly. Of a suite of dynamo models, the model with a radiative interior rotating as fast as the convection zone at the equator delivered the highest compatibility with the obtained Doppler images.

In this paper we investigate the solar activity at the radio frequency (37 GHz) using an extensive data series (solar radio maps) from the Metsahovi Radio Observatory. This paper aims to present this unique solar radio map collection to the public knowledge. The data set covers the years from 1978 to 2011 (solar cycles 21-24). We investigate the long-term solar activity on the ground of the distribution of solar radio brightenings and the differential rotation of the Sun.

Melt pond statistics (size and shape) have previously been retrieved from aerial photography and high-resolution visible satellite data. These submeter- or meter-resolution visible data can provide reasonably accurate information on melt ponds, but are greatly constrained by the limited solar illumination and frequent cloud cover in the Arctic region. In this study, we venture into exploring high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or imaging radar method for melt pond mapping, which is not severely disrupted by cloud or low solar zenith angle. We analyzed high-resolution airborne SAR images (0.3-m resolution) of midsummer sea ice, acquired from a helicopter-borne SAR system in the northern Chukchi Sea. The pond area and shape (circularity) derived from the airborne SAR images showed that the statistics were comparable to those previously observed from aerial photographs. We argue that high-resolution SAR, together with one-to-one comparison with coincident aerial photographs, can be used to map melt ponds at a level of detail comparable to aerial photography or high-resolution optical satellite remote sensing. Our encouraging results suggest the possibility of using high-resolution SAR (current or future systems) to map melt ponds in the Arctic region.

The study of solar irradiance variability is of great importance in heliophysics, the Earth's climate, and space weather applications. These studies require careful identifying, tracking and monitoring of active regions (ARs), coronal holes (CHs), and the quiet Sun (QS). Aims. We studied the variability of solar irradiance for a period of two years (January 2011-December 2012) using the Large Yield Radiometer (LYRA), the Sun Watcher using APS and image Processing (SWAP) on board PROBA2, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Methods. We used the spatial possibilistic clustering algorithm (SPoCA) to identify and segment coronal features from the EUV observations of AIA. The AIA segmentation maps were then applied on SWAP images, and parameters such as the intensity, fractional area, and contribution of ARs/CHs/QS features were computed and compared with the full-disk integrated intensity and LYRA irradiance measurements. Results. We report the results obtained from SDO/AIA and PROBA2/SWAP images taken from January 2011 to December 2012 and compare the resulting integrated full-disk intensity with PROBA2/LYRA irradiance. We determine the contributions of the segmented features to EUV and UV irradiance variations. The variations of the parameters resulting from the segmentation, namely the area, integrated intensity, and relative contribution to the solar irradiance, are compared with LYRA irradiance. We find that the active regions have a great impact on the irradiance fluctuations. In the EUV passbands considered in this study, the QS is the greatest contributor to the solar irradiance, with up to 63% of total intensity values. Active regions, on the other hand, contribute to about 10%, and off-limb structures to about 24%. We also find that the area of the features is highly variable suggesting that their area has to be taken into account in irradiance models, in addition to their intensity variations. Conclusions. We successfully show that the feature extraction allows us to use EUV telescopes to measure irradiance fluctuations and to quantify the contribution of each part to the EUV spectral solar irradiance observed with a calibrated radiometer. This study also shows that SPoCA is viable, and that the segmentation of images can be a useful tool. We also provide the measurement correlation between SWAP and AIA during this analysis.

It is shown that the evolution of planetary atmospheres can only be understood if one recognizes the fact that the radiation and particle environment of the Sun or a planet's host star were not always on the same level as at present. New insights and the latest observations and research regarding the evolution of the solar radiation, plasma environment and solar/stellar magnetic field derived from the observations of solar proxies with different ages will be given. We show that the extreme radiation and plasma environments of the young Sun/stars have important implications for the evolution of planetary atmospheres and may be responsible for the fact that planets with low gravity like early Mars most likely never build up a dense atmosphere during the first few 100 Myr after their origin. Finally we present an innovative new idea on how hydrogen clouds and energetic neutral atom (ENA) observations around transiting Earth-like exoplanets by space observatories such as the WSO-UV, can be used for validating the addressed atmospheric evolution studies. Such observations would enhance our understanding on the impact on the activity of the young Sun on the early atmospheres of Venus, Earth, Mars and other Solar System bodies as well as exoplanets.

The Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory occupies a unique place in the history of the American Meteorological Society and the development of atmospheric science. Through its 129-yr history, the observatory has been operated by founder Abbott Lawrence Rotch (1861–1912), Harvard University, and the National Weather Service, and it is presently run by the nonprofit Blue Hill Observatory Science Center. While daily temperature and precipitation records are available through the National Climatic Data Center, they do not include the full record of sunshine duration data that were measured using a Campbell–Stokes sunshine recorder. We have recently digitized the observatory's original daily sunshine archives, and now present the first full collection and analysis of sunshine records extending from 1889 to the present. This dataset is unique and salient to modern climate research because the collection represents the earliest and longest continuous measurements of insolation outside of western Europe. This record provides an unprecedented glimpse into regional climate features as well as important links between global phenomena and regional climate. Analysis reveals long-term fluctuations of cloud cover and solar radiation, including signals of regional industrialization, global dimming, volcanic eruptions, and the 11-yr solar cycle. Shorter-period fluctuations include evidence of an intricate annual pattern of sunshine duration and correlations with the Arctic Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation, and galactic cosmic rays.

We report the first detection of long-period, slowly decaying Doppler-shift oscillations in the H I Ly alpha (1215.67 angstrom) coronal emission line with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. The UV spectral data were collected at 1.43 R-circle dot above the eastern limb of the Sun during a special high-cadence sit-and-stare observation on 1997 December 14. lime-series analyses with different spectral techniques clearly show highly significant Doppler-shift oscillations in a portion with a size of 154 '' of the UVCS slit that lasted for several cycles. A period of P = 14.3 +/- 0.4 min was established with a confidence of better than 99.9% in the Lomb-Scargle periodogram. On average, the Doppler-shift amplitude of 3.7 +/- 0.7 km s(-1) was estimated for the most significant oscillations, roughly corresponding to a displacement of 800 +/- 150 km. The origin of the regular H I Ly alpha Doppler-shill oscillations is most probably due to the excitation of propagating fast magnetoacoustic kink waves along a narrow, jet-like ejection observed higher up in the white-light corona. However, different mechanisms, such as low-amplitude coherent kink oscillations of a bundle of loops along the line of sight or quasi-periodic outflows caused by oscillatory magnetic reconnection in the low corona cannot be ruled out.

For the past thirty years, modern ground-based time-series of the solar radius have shown different apparent variations according to different instruments. The origins of these variations may result from the observer, the instrument, the atmosphere, or the Sun. Solar radius measurements have been made for a very long time and in different ways. Yet we see inconsistencies in the measurements. Numerous studies of solar radius variation appear in the literature, but with conflicting results. These measurement differences are certainly related to instrumental effects or atmospheric effects. Use of different methods (determination of the solar radius), instruments, and effects of Earth's atmosphere could explain the lack of consistency on the past measurements. A survey of the solar radius has been initiated in 1975 by Francis Laclare, at the Calern site of the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur (OCA). Several efforts are currently made from space missions to obtain accurate solar astrometric measurements, for example, to probe the long-term variations of solar radius, their link with solar irradiance variations, and their influence on the Earth climate. Aims. The Picard program includes a ground-based observatory consisting of different instruments based at the Calern site (OCA, France). This set of instruments has been named "Picard Sol" and consists of a Ritchey-Chretien telescope providing full-disk images of the Sun in five narrow-wavelength bandpasses (centered on 393.37, 535.7, 607.1, 782.2, and 1025.0 nm), a Sun-photometer that measures the properties of atmospheric aerosol, a pyranometer for estimating a global sky-quality index, a wide-field camera that detects the location of clouds, and a generalized daytime seeing monitor allowing us to measure the spatio-temporal parameters of the local turbulence. Picard Sol is meant to perpetuate valuable historical series of the solar radius and to initiate new time-series, in particular during solar cycle 24. Methods. We defined the solar radius by the inflection-point position of the solar-limb profiles taken at different angular positions of the image. Our results were corrected for the effects of refraction and turbulence by numerical methods. Results. From a dataset of more than 20 000 observations carried out between 2011 and 2013, we find a solar radius of 959.78 +/- 0.19 arcsec (696 113 +/- 138 km) at 535.7 nm after making all necessary corrections. For the other wavelengths in the solar continuum, we derive very similar results. The solar radius observed with the Solar Diameter Imager and Surface Mapper II during the period 2011-2013 shows variations shorter than 50 milli-arcsec that are out of phase with solar activity.

Aims. The observation of propagating magneto-hydrodynamic kink waves in magnetic structures and measurement of their properties (amplitude, phase speed) can be used to diagnose the plasma conditions in the neighbourhood of the magnetic structure via magneto-seismology. We aim to reveal properties of the chromosphere/transition region above the sunspot penumbra using this technique. Methods. Hinode SOT observed a sunspot as it was crossing over the limb, providing a unique side on view of the atmosphere above a sunspot. The presence of large spicule-like jets is evident in Ca II H images. The jets are found to support transverse wave motions that displace the central axis of the spicules, which can be interpreted as the kink wave. The properties of a specific wave event are measured and used to determine the magnetic and density stratification along the structure. In addition, we measure the width of the spicule and the intensity profile along the structure in order to provide a test for the magneto-seismological results. Results. The measurements of the wave properties reveal an initial rapid increase in amplitude with height above the solar surface, followed by a decrease in amplitude. The magneto-seismological inversions suggests this initial increase corresponds to large changes in density and magnetic field strength. In addition, we provide the first measurements of spicule width with height, which confirm that the spicule under goes rapid expansion. The measured rates of expansion show good agreement with the results from the magneto-seismology. The observed rapid variations in plasma parameters are suggested to be partly due to the presence of a gravitational stratified, ambient atmosphere. Combining width measurements with phase speed measurements implies the observed decrease in wave amplitude at greater heights can be explained by wave damping. Hence, we provide the first direct evidence of wave damping in chromospheric spicules and the quality factor of the damping is found to be significantly smaller than estimated coronal values.

Observations reveal a correspondence between chromospheric type II spicules and bright upward-moving fronts in the corona observed in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) band. However, theoretical considerations suggest that these flows are probably not the main source of heating in coronal magnetic loops. Aims. We investigate the propagation of high-speed chromospheric flows into coronal magnetic flux tubes and the possible production of emission in the EUV band. Methods. We simulated the propagation of a dense 104 K chromospheric jet upward along a coronal loop by means of a 2D cylindrical MHD model that includes gravity, radiative losses, thermal conduction, and magnetic induction. The jet propagates in a complete atmosphere including the chromosphere and a tenuous cool (similar to 0.8 MK) corona, linked through a steep transition region. In our reference model, the jet initial speed is 70 km s(-1), its initial density is 10(11) cm(-3), and the ambient uniform magnetic field is 10 G. We also explored other values of jet speed and density in 1D and different magnetic field values in 2D, as well as the jet propagation in a hotter (similar to 1.5 MK) background loop. Results. While the initial speed of the jet does not allow it to reach the loop apex, a hot shock-front develops ahead of it and travels to the other extreme of the loop. The shock front compresses the coronal plasma and heats it to about 10(6) K. As a result, a bright moving front becomes visible in the 171 A channel of the SDO/AIA mission. This result generally applies to all the other explored cases, except for the propagation in the hotter loop. Conclusions. For a cool, low-density initial coronal loop, the post-shock plasma ahead of upward chromospheric flows might explain at least part of the observed correspondence between type II spicules and EUV emission excess.

According to the variation pattern of the solar magnetic field polarity and its relation to the relative sunspot number, we established the time series of the sunspot magnetic field polarity index and analyzed the strength and polarity cycle characteristics of the solar magnetic field. The analysis showed the existence of a cycle with about a 22-year periodicity in the strength and polarity of the solar magnetic field, which proved the Hale proposition that the 11-year sunspot cycle is one-half of the 22-year solar magnetic cycle. By analyzing the atmospheric temperature field, we found that the troposphere and the stratosphere in the middle latitude of both the northern and southern hemispheres exhibited a common 22-year quasicycle in the atmospheric temperature, which is believed to be attributable to the 22-year solar magnetic cycle.

Sunspots have been observed since Galileo Galilei invented the telescope. Later, sunspot drawings have been upgraded to image storage using photographic plate in the second half of nineteenth century. These photographic images are valuable data resources for studying long-term changes in the solar magnetic field and its influence on the Earth's climate and weather. Aims. Digitized photographic plates cannot be used directly for the scientific analysis. It requires certain steps of calibration and processing before using them for extracting any useful information. The final data can be used to study solar cycle variations over several cycles. Methods. We digitized more than 100 years of white-light images stored in photographic plates and films that are available at Kodaikanal observatory starting from 1904. The images were digitized using a 4k x 4k format CCD-camera-based digitizer unit. The digitized images were calibrated for relative plate density and aligned in such a way that the solar north is in upward direction. A semi-automated sunspot detection technique was used to identify the sunspots on the digitized images. Results. In addition to describing the calibration procedure and availability of the data, we here present preliminary results on the sunspot area measurements and their variation with time. The results show that the white-light images have a uniform spatial resolution throughout the 90 years of observations. However, the contrast of the images decreases from 1968 onwards. The images are circular and do not show any major geometrical distortions. The measured monthly averaged sunspot areas closely match the Greenwich sunspot area over the four solar cycles studied here. The yearly averaged sunspot area shows a high degree of correlation with the Greenwich sunspot area. Though the monthly averaged sunspot number shows a good correlation with the monthly averaged sunspot areas, there is a slight anti-correlation between the two during solar maximum. Conclusions. The Kodaikanal data archive is hosted at http://kso.iiap.res.in. The long time sequence of the Kodaikanal white-light images provides a consistent data set for sunspot areas and other proxies. Many studies can be performed using Kodaikanal data alone without requiring intercalibration between different data sources.

For investigating spicules from the photosphere to coronal heights, the new Hinode/SOT long series of high-resolution observations from space taken in CaII H line emission offers an improved way to look at their remarkable dynamical behavior using images free of seeing effects. They should be put in the context of the huge amount of already accumulated material from ground-based instruments, including high-resolution spectra of off-limb spicules. Aims. Both the origin of the phenomenon and the significance of dynamical spicules for the heating above the top of the photosphere and the fuelling of the chromospheric and the transition region need more investigation, including of the possible role of the associated magnetic waves for the corona higher up. Methods. We analyze in great detail the proper transverse motions of mature and tall polar region spicules for different heights, assuming that there might be Helical-Kink waves or Alfvenic waves propagating inside their multicomponent substructure, by interpreting the quasi-coherent behavior of all visible components presumably confined by a surrounding magnetic envelop. We concentrate the analysis on the taller CaII spicules more relevant for coronal heights and easier to measure. Two-dimensional velocity maps of proper motion were computed for the first time using a correlation tracking technique based on FFTs and cross-correlation function with a 2nd-order-accuracy Taylor expansion. Highly processed images with the popular mad-max algorithm were first prepared to perform this analysis. The locations of the peak of the cross-correlation function were obtained with subpixel accuracy. Results. The surge-like behavior of solar polar region spicules supports the untwisting multicomponent interpretation of spicules exhibiting helical dynamics. Several tall spicules are found with (i) upward and downward flows that are similar at lower and middle levels, the rate of upward motion being slightly higher at high levels; (ii) the left- and righthand velocities are also increasing with height; (iii) a large number of multicomponent spicules show shearing motion of both left- and righthanded senses occurring simultaneously, which might be understood as twisting (or untwisting) threads. The number of turns depends on the overall diameter of the structure made of components and changes from at least one turn for the smallest structure to at most two or three turns for surge-like broad structures. The curvature along the spicule corresponds to a low turn number similar to a transverse kink mode oscillation along the threads.

Aims. The Sun shows strong variability in its magnetic activity, from Grand minima to Grand maxima, but the nature of the variability is not fully understood, mostly because of the insufficient length of the directly observed solar activity records and of uncertainties related to long-term reconstructions. Here we present a new adjustment-free reconstruction of solar activity over three millennia and study its different modes. Methods. We present a new adjustment-free, physical reconstruction of solar activity over the past three millennia, using the latest verified carbon cycle, C-14 production, and archeomagnetic field models. This great improvement allowed us to study different modes of solar activity at an unprecedented level of details. Results. The distribution of solar activity is clearly bi-modal, implying the existence of distinct modes of activity. The main regular activity mode corresponds to moderate activity that varies in a relatively narrow band between sunspot numbers 20 and 67. The existence of a separate Grand minimum mode with reduced solar activity, which cannot be explained by random fluctuations of the regular mode, is confirmed at a high confidence level. The possible existence of a separate Grand maximum mode is also suggested, but the statistics is too low to reach a confident conclusion. Conclusions. The Sun is shown to operate in distinct modes - a main general mode, a Grand minimum mode corresponding to an inactive Sun, and a possible Grand maximum mode corresponding to an unusually active Sun. These results provide important constraints for both dynamo models of Sun-like stars and investigations of possible solar influence on Earth's climate.

We develop a new calibration method in lab by measuring the absolute spectral irradiance responsivity of Sun photometer sun channel. The absolute power responsivity of Sun photometer is obtained when a white laser double monochromator system serve as a source, and a standard transfer detector calibrated against cryogenic absolute radiometer is assembled to measure the absolute power of laser beam. The effective area of aperture is measured through laser raster scanning method, and the relative spectral irradiance responsivity of the corresponding channel is obtained by using tungsten-halogen lamps double monochromator system. On the basis of the above results, the top of the atmosphere responsive constants V-0 (500, 675, and 870 nm) are obtained by integration with extraterrestrial solar spectral irradiance data. Comparing the calibration results with that of CIMEL, France in November 2011, the relative differences are 4.38%, 2.23%, and 2.45%, respectively. The calibration uncertainty reaches to 2.048x10(-2), which shows a remarkable consistency with the Langley plot method. Further, our scheme can overcome the limits of space and atmospheric conditions which are only available at a high-altitude calibration site in particular date. The advantages lie in not only shortening the experiment period but also being of high precision. This new scheme definitely plays an important role in supporting the current and future sun photometry calibration activities which are significant to earth observation.

We present a study of the two successive M-class flares associated with two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) triggered by the collision of two small sunspots with opposite magnetic polarities and motional directions in NOAA active region (AR) 10484 on 2003 October 22. From the evolution of this AR in the TRACE white-light images and 96 minute line-of-sight magnetograms observed by the Michelson Doppler Imager on board SOHO, a large sunspot and a small sunspot with negative polarity rotated clockwise about 33 degrees and 18 degrees, respectively, from the northeast of a quiescent sunspot with negative polarity to the southeast from 15:00 UT on October 21 to 16:24 UT on October 23. During the process of their motion, the small sunspot with negative polarity collided with the small sunspot with positive polarity and opposite motional direction. In the collision, this AR produced two successive M-class flares and CMEs according to the observations of GOES and the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph. By analyzing the magnetic fields at polarity inversion lines (PILs) between the two small sunspot, it is found that a sudden squeeze occurred near the onset of the two M-class flares and then recovered itself after the flares. We ruled out the emergence of the magnetic fields near the PIL. According to the brightenings in TRACE 1600 angstrom and the hard X-ray sources of the RHESSI of two M-class flares, we found that the locations of the two flares are almost situated in the same location at the PIL between the two small sunspots. We suggest that the sudden squeeze between the opposite magnetic polarities is caused by the pressure of the collision of the two small sunspots and resulted in the magnetic reconnection. These results could contribute to understanding the mechanism of flares and CMEs.

Total and spectral solar irradiance are key parameters in the assessment of solar influence on changes in the Earth's climate. Aims. We present a reconstruction of daily solar irradiance obtained using the SATIRE-S model spanning 1974 to 2013 based on full-disc observations from the KPVT, SoHO/MDI, and SDO/HMI. Methods. SATIRE-S ascribes variation in solar irradiance on timescales greater than a day to photospheric magnetism. The solar spectrum is reconstructed from the apparent surface coverage of bright magnetic features and sunspots in the daily data using the modelled intensity spectra of these magnetic structures. We cross-calibrated the various data sets, harmonizing the model input so as to yield a single consistent time series as the output. Results. The model replicates 92% (R-2 = 0.916) of the variability in the PMOD TSI composite including the secular decline between the 1996 and 2008 solar cycle minima. The model also reproduces most of the variability in observed Lyman-alpha irradiance and the Mg II index. The ultraviolet solar irradiance measurements from the UARS and SORCE missions are mutually consistent up to about 180 nm before they start to exhibit discrepant rotational and cyclical variability, indicative of unresolved instrumental effects. As a result, the agreement between model and measurement, while relatively good below 180 nm, starts to deteriorate above this wavelength. As with earlier similar investigations, the reconstruction cannot reproduce the overall trends in SORCE/SIM SSI. We argue, from the lack of clear solar cycle modulation in the SIM record and the inconsistency between the total flux recorded by the instrument and TSI, that unaccounted instrumental trends are present. Conclusions. The daily solar irradiance time series is consistent with observations from multiple sources, demonstrating its validity and utility for climate models. It also provides further evidence that photospheric magnetism is the prime driver of variation in solar irradiance on timescales greater than a day.

A rapid radiocarbon C-14 increase of 12(0)/(00) in AD774-775 has been reported in cedar and oak tree rings. So far, the origin of the C-14 increase is still uncertain and the possible origin is either supernova or solar particle event. The most possible origin of C-14 increase is strong solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) with strong particles emission. Comprehensive approaches to identify the strong historical solar particle events based on the rapid C-14/Be-10 increase in tree/coral rings and ice cores, long duration strong auroras and geomagnetic storms are introduced. Evidence of the super auroras in AD775 was first found in a Chinese Chronicles Jiutangshu and it supports the views that the rapid C-14 increase and strong auroras around AD775 are most possibly caused by strong solar storms with intense particles emission. It was identified that the solar event around AD775 would be the strongest solar particle event in the past 11400 years. The discovery is significant for the research on the history of solar activities, space weather and forecast, radiation of solar energetic particles and protection.